Opinions

Like the temperature changes outside that will soon bring us winter, Election Day results will bring a different dynamic to the State House in January. The current supermajority in the Vermont Legislature has been dissolved. The Democrats will maintain majorities in the House and Senate but will no longer be able to override vetoes by…

Dear Editor, Thank you to the Windsor District voters for electing us to represent you in the Vermont State Senate. We are honored to serve and appreciate your vote of confidence. We are grateful to our many volunteers who helped make this victory possible. Thank you for hosting our lawn signs, writing letters to the editor, canvassing…

Dear Editor, In October, I announced my campaign to be Vermont’s next Speaker of the House. Today, after an election that eliminated the House supermajority, I want to acknowledge the challenges we face, share why I’m stepping forward and outline my vision for how the Legislature can shift priorities and address Vermonters’ most urgent needs.…

Dear Editor, We hope all campaign signs will disappear after Nov. 5. We also hope they will NOT end up in a landfill. Most, if not all, of the signs are plastic, which means they can’t be recycled. However, they can be reused or re-purposed. Think roofing or siding material, killing invasives in your garden,…

Dear Editor, The first thing to understand about tariffs, that no voters were ever told on the campaign trail, is that the producers in the sending country (China, for instance) do not pay for the tariff. The U.S.-based companies that receive the goods (the U.S.) must pay the tariff. Why is this? First, a nation…

By Angelo Lynn Vermonters witnessed as much of a change election as we’ve seen in the past couple of decades, as Republicans gained six seats in the Senate and 18 seats in the House. The headlines blasted the story: Dems’ supermajority in both chambers was busted. And in the surprise outcome of the election, newly…

Dear Editor, There is a problem with our food systems. The recent E. coli outbreak linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburgers has led to illness, hospitalization, and even death. The CDC, FDA, and other health agencies are investigating, with fresh slivered onions and quarter-pound beef patties as the suspected sources of contamination. This incident isn’t…

Dear Editor, Bruce Hamory’s recommendation to the Green Mountain Care Board to reduce doctors’ time with patients is completely off base. The report’s conclusion that the state will have enough primary care providers is based on primary care providers (PCPs) seeing three patients per hour, and many internists, who see more complex patients, currently see a…

Dear Editor, (In response to Matthew Cecere’s commentary, “The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact could give Vermont voters more impact”). I’m amazed to see an educator come out in favor of such a ridiculous concept, and to also be in favor of abolishing the Electoral College. No, the Electoral College is not perfect. But, it is…

‘Not in my backyard’ is hitting Rutland hard, solutions must be statewide By Alis Headlam Editor’s note: Alis Headlam, of Rutland, is a former educator and member of Project VISION. The “not in my backyard” syndrome has put the Rutland area in a very difficult situation. Rutland has become the go-to place for people who…

By Margaret MacLean Editor’s note: Margaret MacLean, of Peacham, is a retired Vermont teacher and award-winning principal. She is the founding executive director of the Vermont Rural Education Collaborative, a past employee of the Rural School and Community Trust, and served on the Vermont State Board of Education.  Roxbury parents can meet most of the…

By Rebecca Holcombe Editor’s note: Rebecca Holcombe is a Vermont Representative from Windsor-Orange 2 who served as the Vermont Secretary of Education from 2014 to 2018. Vermonters suffer from unsustainable increases in the cost of everything from property taxes to healthcare. Too many people are working hard and stretching Social Security checks but still worry…

Dear Editor,  There is no simple solution to the challenges that Vermonters face. There needs to be a delicate balance between what, on the surface, seems like appealing short-term solutions to the cost of living for all Vermonters versus the vision for long-term planning that creates financial stability and growth into the future.  Do not…

Dear Editor, In an October 23 letter to the Mountain Times, Steve Berry wrote, “John Kerry stated at a World Economic Forum panel, ‘Our First Amendment stands as a major block (to getting things done).’”  You may wonder why Mr. Berry uses such odd syntax, placing part of the quote in parentheses. Maybe it’s because…

Dear Editor, I’m Andrea Murray, and I am running for State Senate in Windsor District because we must make Vermont more affordable. I’m a farmer in Weathersfield, a businesswoman, and a mom struggling too - with a soaring cost of living, high property taxes, and feeling career politicians are not hearing us. It’s now time…